Overhead track.



A. H. NBLLER.

OVERHEAD TRACK.

APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

mzzes'ast UN @TAT l FATENT CFFCF.

ALBERT H. NELLER, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA.

OVERHEAD TRACK.

sarees.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NGV. 3C, 1909.

Application filed September 27, 1909.

Serial No. 519,791.

To all whom fit' may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALBERT H. NELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of iowa, have invented a new and useful lm'- provement .in Cverhead Tracks, of which the following' is a specification.

My invention relates to an overhead track designed to run out of the door-way ofa barn or stable, and itI consists of an improvement in means for Supporting said track and also in an arrangement to permit a sliding door to automatically pass through the track and in other features as set forth in the specification and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective showing' a track and sliding door embodying' the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is the same showing the door passing through the track. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is the same on line 4 4 of Fig. l. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views, the latter' being broken away in the center. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. S is a detail view.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a track for overhead carriers suspended to timbers in a barn or stable in the usual manner, except as hereinafter noted, and extending out to the door-way.

B represents a 'track suspended to a support E outside of the building and in line with the track A, but leaving a space between them.

D is a sliding door adapted to close the door-way and in opening and closing to pass through the space between the tracks.

C is a section of track adapted to close the opening between the tracks A and B, so a carrier may run from the one to the other, and also, to be removed so the door D may pass through the opening between the tracks. lt is preferably connected to the adjacent end of the track B by a hinged member F. A supporting member G is connected to the adjacent end of the track A, and is adapted to support the free end of the hinged section C while the carrier is passing over.

Cn the outer side of the door D is a bar or rail H which is preferably similar to that used for ordinary barn door track, and is secured thereto by brackets l so the rail will stand at a distance from the side of the door. The end of the rail H adjacent to the track is downwardly inclined so it will pass thereunder while its body is located on a line above the track. The opening between the tracks in which the hinged section C is placed is in line with the rail H and when the door is closed the downwardly inclined end of the rail will pass under the hinged section and will lift it approximately to a vertical position so that the door may readily pass through the opening as shown in Fig. 2. The door being further moved along, to entirely close it, the section C will slide along the body of the rail and will not interfere with the movement of the door in either direction. The door being entirely opened, the section C will slide down the inclined end of the rail H until it rests on the supporting member G, when the carrier may readily pass over it from one track to the other.

The supporting member G is preferably made of two parts adapted to clamp upon an edge of the track r. and to be held in position thereon by bolts J, (see Figs. 3 and a). Its supporting end is projected beyond the end of the track A and is provided with two upwardly and outwardly projecting portions f having a recess between them and is adapted to receive and support the free end of the section C. lThe hinged member F is preferably made in the form of two `clampsfhinged together one of them being secured to an edge of the track B while the other is secured to the adjoining edge of the section C. It is also preferable that they should be clamped upon the upper edges of the track B and section C, so that the latter may be lifted clear of the end of the former.

The tracks A and E .may be suspended by ordinary flexible track hangers K, except at the ends adjoining the section C, which should be held rigidly in place so that the section may be lifted from and, without missing, drop back to its normal position in the supporting member G. Where the overhead support runs crosswise of the track, as shown inside of the building, a hanger L is preferably used. It is composed of two parts having their lower ends adapted to hold the upper edge of the track-rail between them and their upper ends diverging so that in attaching them to the supporting timber they will be braced and will hold the end ot' the track in a xed position, the two parts being held together by bolts M.

Vhere the support runs parallel with the track, as shown by thetimber E in Figs. l and 2, it is preferable to use a hanger which will embrace the sides of the timber while holding` the end of the track in a rigid position. Such a hanger is shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5. It is composed of two hanger members N having their upper ends perforated and spread apart so as to embrace the timber E and be secured thereto by nails or similar fastenings. Also, of clamping inembers O having their lower ends adapted to embrace the upper edge ot the track-rail and be secured thereto by a bolt P, while their upper ends are provided with recesses adapted to tit over and be supported by heads on the lower ends of the members N as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The members N may be made in duplicates by setting their lower ends to one side so that when placed tace to face the heads on their lower ends will stand apart and will tit in separate recesses in the clamping members 0.

The outer end of the timber E may bc supported in any suitable manner, but the inner end is preferably secured to the side ot the building by means of irons Q having their ends bent at an angle so that they will fit against the side of the building and also against the sides of the timber E and having pert'orations therein for bolts or other tastenings.

R represents a barn door cover under which the door hanger track is mounted. This may be of any desired pattern upon which the door D may run to open and close the door-way.

lt is preferable to construct the rail H with an incline at each end, as shown so it may be applied to either edge of the door and will lift the section C and thus open the track for the passage of the door from either side desired. In all cases the body ot the rail H should be as long as the distance from the track to the other side of the door-way. ln case the door should be arranged to run on the inner side of the barn, the hinged member F would have to be attached to the track A and the supporting member G to the track B so that the section C will open on the side of the door away from the wall.

ll] hat I claim is l. The combination of two sections of overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a piece of track flexibly secured to one of said sections, and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and means carried by the door to move said piece of track so the door may pass through the opening.

Q. The combination of two sections ot overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a piece of track hinged to one of said sections, and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and means carried by the door to lii't said piece ot track so the door may pass through the opening.

3. T he combination of two sections of overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding` door adapted to pass through the opening, a piece of track hinged to one of said sections and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and a bar carried by the door to litt said piece of track and permit the door to pass through the opening'.

it. The combination of two sections ot overhead track having an opening between them, a slidingl door adapted to pass through the opening, a piece of track hinged to one ot said sections and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and a bar carried by the door and having its adjacent end downwardly inclined so as to run under and litt said piece ot track and permit the door to pass through the opening. V

rlhe combination of two sections ot overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a piece ot track hinged to one of said sections and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and albar carried by the door and having both of its ends downwardly inclined so as to run under and lift said piece of track at either edge of the door.

G. The combination of two sections of overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, apiece of track hinged to one of said sections and adapted to close the opening so a carrier will pass thereover, and a bar secured to the door by brackets so it will be held at a distance therefrom and will engage and lift said piece ot track from the opening between the sections.

7. rlhe combination of two sections of overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a hinged connection secured to the end of one of the sections, and a supporting device secured to the end of the other section, a piece ot' track secured to the hinged connection and its free end adapted to rest on the supporting device, and means carried by the door to automatically lift said piece of track and permit the door to pass through the opening.

S. The combination of two sections of overhead track having lan opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a hinged clamping connection secured to the end of one of the sections, and a supporting clamp secured to the end of the other section, a piece of track secured to the hinged connection and its free end adapted to rest on the supporting clamp, and means carried by the door to automatically lift said piece of track and permit the door to pass through the opening.

9. The combination of two sections of lo overhead track having an opening between them, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening, a hinged clamping connection secured to the upper edge of the end of one of the sections, and a supporting clamp secured to the lower edge of the end or' the other section, a piece of track secured to the hinged connection and its free end adapted to rest on the supporting clamp, and means carried by the door to automat- So ically lift said piece of track and permit the door to pass through the opening.

l0. rThe combination of two sections of overhead track having an opening between them, one of said sections being suspended in a building, and projecting out to a doorway and the other being suspended outside of the building and extending in toward the door-way, a sliding door adapted to pass through the opening between the sections, a

piece of track secured to one of the sections, and adapted to close the opening so a carrier may pass thereover, and means carried by the door to automatically move said piece of track and permit the door to pass through the opening.

ll. The combination of a track, an overhead supporting timber running parallel with the track, a pair of hangers secured to opposite sides of the timber, and a clamping device secured to the upper edge of the track and embracing the lower ends of the hangers whereby the track is supported by the timber.

12. The combination of a tra-ck,` an overhead supporting timber running parallel with the track, a pair of hangers secured to opposite sides of the timber, and having their lower ends headed and set to one side of the vertical center and a clamping device secured to the upper edge of the track and having recesses in its upper edge to embrace and hold the heads of the hangers, wherebyT the track is supported by the timber.

Fairfield, Iowa, Sept. 24:, 1909.

ALBERT H. NELLER. `Witnesses JEFF G. FENCE, LAURA J. KAMP. 

